The UK's built environment sector is a powerhouse of the economy yet has no nationwide source of trusted research information - discuss!

An Edge Debate

in collaboration with NLA- London’s Built Environment Community

The built environment sector, generating 24% of GVA and providing 1 in 8 jobs, is the predominant player in the UK economy, yet doesn’t attract the same attention as health (8%), education (6%), finance (9%) or IT (6%). As the NLA has noted it is ‘an economic powerhouse hiding in plain sight’ [The Built Environment Sector, NLA, 2026].

Yet even as a powerhouse the sector has its problems, including: an approach to building safety marked by ‘serious deficiencies’ [Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report, 2024], carbon emissions that still need to reduce by 98.6% to achieve net zero by 2050 [Seventh Carbon Budget, CCC, 2025] and productivity that lags well behind that of other industries [ONS, 2025]. It is a sector that needs serious improvement and critical to that is good information and a reinvigorated culture of research and development.

From the privatisation of the BRE in 1997 on, UK PLC progressively ditched its public sector research capacity, leading to near total reliance on the academic and consultancy sectors for information. This has resulted in the UK losing access to robust data and evidence, and effectively control of successfully developing this key sector of the economy.

If the sector is going to achieve its unmet potential the Edge believes a National Built Environment Research Organisation (NBERO) is required to drive better outcomes and greater productivity.

This debate will discuss:

The role of a research organisation in One Built Environment

The potential for productivity and efficiency gains

A collaborative approach to closing the performance gap and achieving net zero

The export of built and natural environment services

Chair: Dr Barbara Lane, Chair Building Advisory Committee

Speakers:

Speaker from NLA

Professor William Powrie, University of Southampton & Convenor UKCRIC

Adala Leeson, Head of Social and Economic Research, Historic England (tbc)

John Naylor, Senior Researcher, Ryder

Simon Rawlinson, Arcadis & CIC Chair elect

Venue: NLA, The London Centre, 3 Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH

Networking: The Anthologist, 58 Gresham Street, EC2V 7BB (20.00 – 21.00)

Time & date: 18.00 for 18.30 – 21.00, 22nd September 2026 (in person only)

Description supplied by the event organiser.